Use these instructions to import generic CSV or TXT data for jobsA job is the overall project that you or your organisation works on for a client. .
Before you begin
Before you import data into , you need to prepare a suitable import file.
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Tips for ensuring a successful import
- In your import file, each column header identifies a data field that you want to include in your import. You need specify column headers for the mandatory fields plus any additional fields that you want to import.
- The column headers in your import file must match the format of the column headers in the sample file exactly. You must use the same capitalisation, with any spaces, punctuation or other characters as shown.
- Make sure that you save the import file in the correct format: CSV
When working with the CSV file in Excel, make sure you save it using CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) format. There are several other CSV formats, which are not currently supported by .
- Make sure there are no carriage-return characters in any of the data fields. These characters are created by pressing the Enter key and may have been included in the original data to break text onto several lines; in an address, for example.
- Make sure there are no blank lines at the end of the data file. If you see error messages reporting that several mandatory items are missing, open the CSV file in a text editor like Notepad to check for (and remove) blank lines.
- Depending on the source of your import file, you may notice that there some columns that you do not wish to import. You can remove any such columns (as long as they are not mandatory columns - see Set up a file from scratch, below) before you run the import. Alternatively, during the Map fields step of the import process, you can flag any unwanted columns as Do not import, so they are ignored.
- If any custom fields have been set up for jobs, those fields will be listed: Custom Field (Field Name) at the Map fields step of the import process. To import data into a custom field, you need to include the Field Name as a column header in your import file, in the same way as regular data fields.
Setting up an import file
To set up an import file, do one of the following:
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Modify a sample file
- Download the Job Import Example CSV file at the end of this article.
- Open the file using a suitable desktop application, such as Microsoft Excel.
- Remove any columns that you do not wish to use (but not the mandatory columns - see Set up a file from scratch, below).
- Replace the sample data (from row 2 onwards) with the information you wish to import.
- Save the completed file in CSV format.
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Set up a file from scratch
- Create a spreadsheet using a suitable desktop application, such as Microsoft Excel.
- Include the mandatory column headers (plus any optional column headers you require) in row 1. Each column header should be in a separate column. Copy each column header exactly (the import is case sensitive).
If a column header in the import file has an exact match with a column header shown below, will automatically assign the CSV input data to the correct data field. If any column headers do not match exactly, you can match them manually during the field mapping stage of the import.
Column Header Description Client The client name must already exist in . Contact Name of contact person at the client organisation. The contact person name must exist for the specified client. Name The job name.
Client Order Number Order number, if applicable (provided by the client). Template A job template to use for the job, if required. The job template must exist. Budget Estimated budget for the work required to complete the job. The budget should be a number with no punctuation or currency symbol. For example: 20000 Description Job description. Status The job status Job statuses usually match the stages in your company's job workflow, such as Planned, In Progress or Completed. By adding notifications to each job status, you can communicate to key people how a job is progressing - and when it's time for them to take action. that will be applied to the imported job.
The status specified must match an existing job status value, as defined in
> General > Job Settings > Job Status.
Completed Date (DD/MM/YYYY) This is the date that the job Status was set to Completed. The completed date must be specified if the job Status is set to Completed.
Do not specify a completed date if the job Status is not Completed.
Category The job category Job categories are primarily a way to group various types of jobs (or tracking categories in Xero) together for reporting and viewing purposes. Whenever a job is invoiced, the information specified in the category, such as Xero Tracking Category, Income Account and Cost of Sale Account, is brought across in the invoices that flow through to your accounting system. , if required.
If you specify a job category, it must match an existing job category, as defined in
> General > Job Settings > Job Category.
Exclude from Estimated Billings Checkbox to specify whether to exclude the job from estimated billings or not.
Enter Yes (this is the default if left blank) or No.
Start Date (DD/MM/YYYY) Date that the job is to start.
Due Date (DD/MM/YYYY) Date that the job is to be completed by.
Priority If you specify a job priority level, it must be one of the following:
- Immediate
- High
- Normal (default if priority is not specified)
- Low
Client Manager Name of one of your staff who is responsible for managing the client that this job is for. If specified, the name must be a staff member as defined in
> General > Staff.
Job Manager Name of one of your staff who is responsible for managing the job. If specified, the name must be a staff member as defined in
> General > Staff.
Staff Assigned Semicolon-separated list of names of staff who have been assigned to work on the job. For example:
Anna Jones;Jim Smith;Jo Keen
If specified, each name must be a staff member as defined in
> General > Staff.
- In row 2 onwards, enter the information that you wish to import.
- Save the completed file in CSV format.
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Modify a file containing data exported from another application
- Open a CSV file that has been exported from another application.
- Remove any rows that you do not wish to use.
- Remove any columns that you do not wish to use (but not the mandatory columns - see Set up a file from scratch, above).
- Change each column header so that it exactly matches the equivalent column header listed under Set up a file from scratch above. Using the standard column headers reduces the effort required when you map the CSV file column headers to the standard column headers.
- Save the completed file in CSV format.
Notes on import data for jobs
- Re-importing a job using the Create method will result in a duplicate job name being added to the list of jobs.
Importing the data
To import job data into :
- On the toolbar click
and select the Import tab. The Import screen displays the status of any previous import operations:
- Imported. The import is complete.
- Validated. The import was partly completed. You can click the Validated flag to complete the import operation from the data validation stage reached earlier.
- On the Import screen, click Import to start the import wizard.
- In the import wizard, Upload File step, provide the following information, as required.
Field Description Data Type The data type of file that you wish to import. Select Jobs.
Click to upload Drag and drop or click to select the CSV file you wish to import.
Import Method Select the import method to use:
- Create. Use the imported CSV data to create new jobs.
- Update. (coming soon)
- Create & Update. (coming soon)
- Delete. (coming soon)
- Click Next. The fields you can import are listed.
- In the import wizard, Map Fields step, make sure that each field is correctly mapped to the column names specified in the uploaded CSV file.
If you have used the standard column header names, mapping will take place automatically. Sample data items from row 2 of the CSV file are displayed, at right, to help you verify that the mapping is correct.
To ignore data in optional data fields, you can select Do not import in the Column Name drop-down list, if you wish. This saves you having to physically remove any fields you do not wish to import.
- Click Next. Your CSV data is validated and produces an error report. Choose your next step from the following table.
Errors Yes/No? Next Step... No Click Import Rows to complete the import process. displays the Import screen. You may need to refresh the screen to update the Importing.. flag to show Imported. Yes Do one of the following:
- Click Import Rows Excluding Errors to complete the import process using only rows that were correct.
- Click Download Error Rows to download a CSV file that contains only those rows that contain an error. You can correct the errors and re-start the import process using the corrected file.
- Pause the import process by clicking the back-arrow at top-left of the screen. displays the Import screen.